


You Are Nothing

by frameofreality



Category: Demento | Haunting Ground
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Attempted Murder, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Dark, Early Work, Game Spoilers, Gen, Homunculi, Physical Abuse, Relationship(s), Rivalry, Spoilers, Survival Horror, old fic, what do I even tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-08
Updated: 2012-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-30 08:30:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6416368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frameofreality/pseuds/frameofreality
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You...are nothing! Nothing!" She began to laugh in that beautiful, yet unnatural and emotionless voice of hers. "Nothing...just...like...me..."</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Are Nothing

Daniella sat quietly in her chair, slowly tracking Riccardo with her eyes as he walked back and forth across the wrecked room. His agitation was obvious, his face set in annoyance as she waited for what was sure to come.

"Where is he?" Riccardo spat, but Daniella didn't answer. "Where is the old man?" He walked closer to her, trying to intimidate the emotionless woman. "Where's he hiding?" He stopped in front of her, pausing to let her answer, but Daniella refused to acknowledge him.

A very noticeable pressure brought Daniella's attention back to him. _Ah._ Riccardo had lost his temper and slapped her across the face. Inwardly, she smiled at his lack of self-control; surely he hadn't forgotten that she wasn't complete? That, without Azoth, she couldn't feel pain? He slapped her again. Or feel pleasure. _Slap._ Or taste. _Slap._ Without it, she was nothing.

"I won't let him touch her!" He roared suddenly, "You hear me, old man? The Azoth is mine." _Azoth?_ Daniella managed to register despite her disinterest in the madman's display, blinking slowly as Riccardo stepped away from her. _So that is what is so special about Miss Fiona,_ she thought. _Miss Fiona...my Azoth..._

She turned and stared at the door that lead into the hallway. Even at this distance from the door, she could recognize the lovely blue iris from the other side of the keyhole, hear the quiet, anxious breathing of their unfortunate audience. _Miss Fiona...Azoth..._ Daniella felt herself grin wickedly at the thought of finally being complete. She heard a barely audible gasp of surprise and the iris immediately fell away from the keyhole. Suddenly, Riccardo was in front of her again, a crazed look on his face, in his eyes.

"Don't you even think about it!" He growled, grabbing her chin and making her look at him. "As your master, I command you to leave the girl to me and to tell me where the old man is!" He shoved her away, but she remained seated as something... _clicked_ in her mind. She thought back to when her master, Lorenzo Belli, had told her of the other inhabitants of the castle. She had been standing in the decrepit Water Tower, her master in his wheelchair in front of her, the collapsed stone of the walls around them adding to the intensity of the atmosphere. She listened intently to her master as he explained her role, along with those of the other two inhabitants, Debilitas and Riccardo.

_"You, my dear Daniella, are the maid and cook of Belli Castle. Your duties include cleaning and maintaining the castle, cooking breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any other meals I deem necessary, as well as obey my every command. In the rare event we have guests, you are to make sure they are comfortable." Lorenzo had said, his raspy voice faltering every so often, the old man doing his best to keep from coughing while speaking._

_"Yes, Master." She had replied hollowly in her monotone voice._

_"The other two that live here are of little concern. Usually, anyway. Debilitas is the groundskeeper and gardener. Riccardo...well, I'm not exactly sure what that useless lump considers himself. He is nothing. Though, you will, of course, have to cook for and clean up after the both of them."_

_"Yes, Master."_

_"Now, pay close attention. I, as I have already told you, am your master and your creator. Therefore, you will obey only me. No one else, unless I say otherwise. Riccardo may try to make you obey him, but do NOT acknowledge him. He is NOT your master. I am your ONLY master. Do you understand?" He'd wheezed rather harshly, cloudy eyes fixated on the maid._

_"He is not my master...you are my master."_

_"Good girl."_

Daniella brought herself back to the present, where Riccardo stood angrily before her, his patience at its end. Her master was Lorenzo, Not Riccardo. Master Lorenzo Belli. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes gazing past him the irate failure of a man.

"Riccardo...not master. You...not my master... You...are...nothing..." She whispered, locking her shocking lavender eyes with his as she said the last part, restating what Lorenzo had told her. She didn't even feel the crooked smile that graced her lips, the one that left Riccardo faltering.

"You...are nothing! _Nothing!_ " She began to laugh in that beautiful, yet unnatural and emotionless voice of hers. "Nothing...just...like...me..." She stopped herself, noticing Riccardo's mixed expression of confusion, rage, and barely hidden fear.

"No...not like me... Soon, I'll be complete. Soon, I'll have the Azoth." She murmured under her breath, low so he couldn't hear. Riccardo slowly backed away from her, then, wary where he had been confident before. Although he tormented and abused her constantly, he never knew what to expect when she had one of her breakdowns. Various past experiences had taught him to stay as far away from her as possible when she got like this, lest something terrible happen to him - or anyone or anything else, for that matter - until she calmed down. It was difficult to retaliate against her enough as it was, what with her unable to learn from the discipline of agony. Swiftly, he crossed the room, unlocked the door and shut it behind him on his way out.

As she started laughing maniacally once more, he quickly made his way back to the Water Tower. Her insane shriek rose in volume as he left, until she abruptly silenced herself, contemplating how to acquire Miss Fiona's Azoth and he, how to stop her.


End file.
